


Shaky Hands

by Ducksgoquack



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Asshole Exes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, TK needs a hug, Whump, carlos to the rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:42:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22736632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ducksgoquack/pseuds/Ducksgoquack
Summary: TK gets a text from someone unexpected and nearly goes spiralling downwards, Carlos is there to help though.Based of the whumptober 2019 prompt ‘Shaky Hands’
Relationships: Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand
Comments: 8
Kudos: 345





	Shaky Hands

TK laughed with the team as Paul recounted a story from one of his calls back in Chicago. The team along with Michelle and Carlos were sat in the bar relaxing and laughing together after a busy shift. TK was sat between his Dad and not-quite-boyfriend, Carlos, drinking his mineral water. His phone vibrated on the table and he picked it up, wondering who it could be. He froze when he saw the contact name. 

**Alex.**

What could he possibly have to say? He clicked on the message and unlocked his phone with shaky hands, he hadn’t noticed the chatter around him stop as everyone turned to look at him. 

_Hey TK._ The message said

“TK?” He heard his Dad ask, but he couldn’t look him in the eye. All of a sudden it was all too much, he didn’t want to be there with his team, drinking damned mineral water, he wanted to be alone in his room away from everyone else with a bottle of vodka or on the streets of New York getting high with people he’s never met before and will probably never meet again. TK pushed back his seat, his phone falling from his still-shaking hands but he didn’t stop to pick it up, instead he ran out of the bar and into the chilling night air. 

Carlos stood up almost immediately, following TK outside and caught him hailing a taxi.

“TK wait!” Carlos grabbed TK’s arm and he didn’t miss the way TK tensed momentarily before relaxing slightly when he saw Carlos. “Come back inside.”

“I-I can’t,” TK whispered shakily. Carlos could see his hands shaking as he clutched the door handle of the taxi. 

“Why not?” Carlos knew better than to pressure the younger man, but he also recognised the look in his eyes from that night in the police station and he knew if he didn’t stop TK then he’d probably end up at a pub on the other side of town getting in a fight soberly. Or worse. A drunk fight. 

“I just-” TK stepped away from the waiting taxi, signalling to the driver that she could drive on. He looked away from Carlos and focused his attention on chewing his hoodie strings. 

“You just what?” Carlos pressed.

“I don’t know, it shouldn’t even bother me. And I hate that it does, I mean it’s been 102 days, but-” TK’s attention had shifted from chewing his hoodie strings to pulling at his hair - hard enough that Carlos was sure it was hurting him - so Carlos slowly reached forward and held TK’s hands in his own

“Wait. TK, slow down. Take a breath. Now tell me what happened.” TK looked up at Carlos and the desperate, adrenaline-seeking look from the police station was gone and replaced with one of pure pain and sorrow. 

TK took a shaky breath and began to explain the text message from Alex and how it had just caught him completely off guard and how now he was mainly just annoyed at himself that it affected him this much. A few stray tears slipped down his cheeks against his will and Carlos pulled TK into a hug. 

“It’s gonna be okay, and you know it’s not your fault that it affects you, right? That asshole hurt you and you have every right to be upset and cry or scream or whatever you want but just remember that you have people who love you okay? You have me, your dad and everyone at the firehouse.” TK took a step back and stared in amazement at the incredible man in front of him.

“What?” Carlos asked wearily when TK hadn’t said anything for a few minutes.

“Nothing, you’re just really great.” 

Carlos smiled and pulled TK into his arms again. “We’re gonna get through this. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” 

TK buried his head deeper into Carlos’ shoulder, believing for the first time since his overdose that everything would be okay. Eventually. Because he had the best family in the world. And maybe, just maybe he was starting to see a little bit of colour through all the grey.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think of this in the comments!


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